Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to read a quote from one of the separatist coalition's biggest supporters, “Sovereignists have no interest in people looking at Ottawa as a stable serious government. The image projected must be that of a weak government”. These are the words of Jacques Parizeau, the man who almost tore our great country apart. Yesterday he said that the separatist coalition would be “good for a sovereign Quebec”, not good for Canada, not good for the Québécois people who like everyone else expects the House to make Canada work.

The people of Canada are outraged, people like Greg Douglas in my riding who has collected over 50,000 signatures in a petition against this separatist coalition.

The Leader of the Opposition is so desperate for power that he has made a formal alliance with the people who want to make Canada fail. If he truly believes in the separatist pact, he should show the courage of his convictions and take it to the people.

Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1982. The 2008 theme is "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us".

Approximately 10% of the world's population, or 650 million people, live with disabilities. In Canada it is one in seven people. On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, as well as during the year-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, let us use dignity and justice for all as a rallying call, as these principles are far from being realized for everyone.

I invite all hon. members and all Canadians to make a renewed commitment to these principles of dignity and justice and to ensure implementation of the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, the Mirabel chamber of commerce and industry held its first ever Gala Innov on November 21. I would like to commend the organizing committee, in particular its general manager, Lysanne O'Sullivan, and Alain Dugas, vice president and general manager, operations, commercial aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace. Mr. Dugas acted as the honorary chairman of the event. as well.

I would like to pay tribute to some of the organizations and companies honoured at the gala. Outstanding commendations went to Bombardier Aerospace and the Institut de formation aérospatiale. Gold awards went to: Intermiel; Parc régional du Bois-de-Belle-Rivière; Lefebvre, Lefebvre et Théorêt, notaries; Gestion Sicola; Gérald Paquette, electician and employees—two gold medals—; Emballage AT; Centre Kubota des Laurentides.

My congratulations as well to all the other Mirabel associations and businesses that were nominated for this gala to recognize dynamism and excellence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Saturday will mark the 19th anniversary of the massacre at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. Sadly, in the years since the massacre, we have made very little progress toward ending gender violence. Half of Canadian women experience abuse and violence in their homes, communities, workplaces and schools during their lifetime. Across the world women are overwhelmingly the victims of war, and rape is used as a weapon to break and shame women.

We must ensure that no woman, no matter where she lives, the colour of her skin or race suffers violence simply because she is a woman. Each of us has the power and responsibility to end violence against women and to create communities where women can build their lives without the threat of violence.

December 6 is not just a day to remember, it is a day to take action and to finally end violence against women.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal, socialist, separatist coalition is trying to impose a radical agenda on Canadians.

This is not middle-of-the-road liberalism, but an alliance of extremes. It includes NDP out of touch economic polices, as if the answer to a global economic crisis is tax hikes.

This coalition has full support from the leader of the separatist movement's most hard-line factions, Jacques Parizeau. He says the coalition is “good for a sovereign Quebec”.

We have not seen this kind of clear insight into the separatist agenda since Mr. Parizeau gave his opinions on that particular night 13 years ago when a plan to break up Canada was foiled.

Today we must stop another scheme of danger for all Canadians from coast to coast to coast. If the Leader of the Opposition truly believes in his separatist coalition pact, he should show the courage of his convictions and take it to the people.

Mr. Speaker, today Canada will sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions. This is the most significant treaty of its kind since the ban on anti-personal land mines that was signed exactly 11 years ago today. The treaty, led by Canadians and NGOs from across the globe, is now saving more than 17,000 lives a year.

While our government has been a laggard on this issue, it has finally come to the table to address this tragic situation. However, it still has not articulated a plan of action to fulfill our commitments to the treaty.

Canadian and international humanitarian mine action organizations have been bravely clearing land mines and cluster bombs to provide safety, security and prosperity to communities affected by these terrible weapons for many years. Cluster munitions are indiscriminate, they primarily kill civilians and destroy a nation's ability to get back on its feet after being war ravaged.

We in the Liberal Party call upon the Conservative government to present a plan of action that will back up our signature to remove the scourge of cluster munitions from our world forever.

Mr. Speaker, a decade ago he was brought to Ottawa to save Canada. Now, due to political expediency and his impending demise as leader of the Liberal Party, he has made it his mission to destroy Canada and the province of Quebec.

Not only has he made a pact with the secessionists—whose sole goal is to weaken Canada—but he has also turned his back on the remains of his reputation as a defender of Canadian unity.

Why does the leader of the Liberal Party no longer believe in Canadian unity and a proud and strong Quebec within a united and vibrant Canada?

The leader of the Liberal Party does not believe that Canada should come before the entitlement of a party that won only one in four votes. The separatist Liberals should not try to impose their anti-Canada agenda on this country.

If he truly believes in his separatist pact, he should show the courage of his convictions and take it to the people.

Mr. Speaker, the Ottawa Landmine Treaty was signed eleven years ago today. Although its implementation made possible the destruction of 42 million mines, there are another 160 million still stockpiled around the world.

When the treaty was signed, a $100 million fund was created, the Canadian Landmine Fund. Five years on, another $72 million was added, and the fund terminated in March 2008. As well, funding for treaty enforcement has decreased by $33 million over the 2006 level.

However, last week at the Geneva conference of signatories to the Ottawa treaty, the first serious violations of the treaty were reported: 15 countries had not carried out demining within the deadlines set and 3 had not destroyed their stockpiles of mines.

The Bloc Québécois calls upon the government to bring pressure to bear on the signatory states to renew their commitment to this treaty.

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has decided to cling to power at any cost.

Even if it means recording telephone conversations unbeknownst to those involved, because the Conservatives are willing to do anything to hold onto power.

Even if it means saying that a deal with the Bloc Québécois is only valid if it was the Conservatives' idea, because they are willing to do anything to hold onto power.

Even if it means leaving town so that they do not have to face the Canadian Parliament, because the Conservatives are willing to do anything to hold onto power.

Even if it means lying to Canadians about their national flag, because the Conservatives are willing to do anything to hold onto power.

The Conservatives have had six weeks to come up with a plan and save jobs and the economy, but they have done nothing. Yet it took them only six days to draw up petitions, organize protests, create websites and launch a media blitz to save the only job that matters to them—the prime minister's.

Mr. Speaker, the member for Papineau and all members of his party need to take off their rose-coloured glasses and stop believing that the Bloc has disavowed its ideology. Are we the only ones who can see that the Bloc is doing whatever it can to advance its cause: Quebec separation?

The fact that Jacques Parizeau approves of and applauds the coalition is proof that the Liberal Party and the NDP have fallen into a trap. How can the Liberal Party leader possibly believe that he is fighting for Canada when, once again, he will be the one handing ammunition to the Parizeaus, Landrys and Marois of this world? Is that really what he wants?

The opposition parties have acted utterly irresponsibly in dragging us into this unstable situation. This proves that they do not merit the confidence of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Bergeron of Lévis wrote to me today to condemn the political situation. She said:

This attempt to overthrow the government looks to me like a coup d'état. People I have talked to feel the same way. We simply refuse to allow a coalition to take (and steal) power without having been elected by the people.

The separatist coalition is playing a very dangerous game. Making separatist leaders Jacques Parizeau and Pauline Marois happy just to slake a thirst for power is totally irresponsible and can only result in instability.

Canada needs a responsible, experienced government with just one pair of hands on the wheel.

That is the kind of leadership our Prime Minister and the Conservative government have to offer.

Mr. Speaker, today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a celebration of the new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and a recommitment to inclusion through its theme, “Dignity and Justice for All”.

Celebrations are taking place across Canada hosted by Independent Living Canada, along with People First, all of this following on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Association for Community Living. But our celebrations are marred by the Conservative Party's foot dragging on ratification of the UN convention and the Conservatives' failure to address disproportionate poverty and unemployment among Canadians with disabilities.

The Conservative government has no plan and no will to address the economic crisis that puts the most vulnerable in our society at even greater risk. How can we have confidence in a government that denies those living with disabilities the means to help themselves in a time of economic crisis, condemning them to further impoverishment and hardship?

Now is the time to end exclusion, and stand up for the rights of all people.

Mr. Speaker, this coalition is having disastrous consequences for Canada. The coalition is dividing Canadians as we stand on the brink of an economic crisis. We do not need a constitutional crisis on top of everything else. When Jacques Parizeau is happy, I start to worry. It is not surprising that the Liberals are again adding fuel to the sovereigntist fire, but it is completely absurd that the NDP is in on this strategy.

Why is the opposition trying to divide the country when our government corrected the fiscal imbalance and recognized the Quebec nation, thereby showing Quebeckers that they are an integral part of Canada? Once again, francophones in Canada will find themselves isolated, and once again, they can thank the Liberals.

Canada's performance in terms of waste generation, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions earns it a “D” for “disastrous”. Canada could lead the industrialized nations in environmental performance if it wanted to. To date, though, the Conservative government has shown no desire to do so.

It should have followed the example of Quebec, which has the lowest per capita rate of greenhouse gas emissions of all the provinces and territories, and adopted a territorial approach to improve Canada's performance. But this government preferred to support big oil.

This government did not take action when action was needed, and that is why it no longer has the confidence of either this House or the people.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-led coalition has a plan to support jobs through more infrastructure, more job training, more social housing. and support for struggling industries to make them competitive in the 21st century. It is a fiscally responsible plan. We will have a dollar figure when we know if the Conservatives are hiding a deficit of $5 billion or $15 billion. There will be no structural deficits and we will eliminate the existing Conservative deficit by year four.

What does the Prime Minister not understand about Canada's need for more infrastructure, more training and more social housing? Why has he failed to provide any plan to protect the savings and pensions and jobs of Canadians? Why, in his own words, does he use every legal means at his disposal to protect his own job while not even lifting his little finger to save the jobs of ordinary Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, I first ran for a seat in the House of Commons in 1997 to stand up for Canada and fight for national unity.

However, the separatist contract signed by the opposition parties this week threatens to wipe out all of the progress we have made on the Canadian unity issue.

Yesterday, Jacques Parizeau, a prominent leader of the separatist movement, endorsed the separatist contract between the Liberals and separatists. Let me read what Jacques Parizeau said just a few short years ago: “The image projected needs to be one of a weak, disoriented federal government which will be even more so in the future. That is perfect”.

He is right about one thing. This separatist contract would weaken Canada's economy, would weaken Canada's democracy and put the unity of our country in the hands of separatists.

The actions of the Liberal-separatist coalition will have real consequences for all of Canada. When will the Liberals come to their senses and do what is right?

Mr. Speaker, this government is taking action by preparing the upcoming budget and additional measures for our economy. The Liberal Party leader proposes to help the economy by signing a pact with the Quebec sovereignists to govern the country. This is not a plan to improve the economy; it is a plan to destroy this country, which is why he should withdraw his proposal.

Mr. Speaker, today the leader of the Liberal Party received an unqualified endorsement from his plan from Jacques Parizeau. Let me tell members, in Mr. Parizeau's own words, why he supports the kind of arrangement the leader of the Liberal Party is proposing: “A weaker government in Ottawa is eminently satisfying. The image must be one of a weak, disoriented government, which will become weaker and more disoriented in the future. This is perfect”.

The leader of the Liberal Party is not working with us to prepare the budget and to strengthen this economy, but to weaken this country.

Mr. Speaker, a weak government is a government that does not have the confidence of this House and wants to govern. Never mind, there is an alternative: better public transit for our cities and our communities; cleaner water; clean energy; help for our manufacturing sector, our auto sector, our forestry sector and their workers; and a plan to create jobs.

Why does the Prime Minister care more about his own job than allowing Parliament to save the jobs of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, if the leader of the Liberal Party wants to save the jobs of Canadians, he can put on the table specific proposals that will save those jobs. He can reach across the aisle and work with this government, which will be pleased to work with him on saving this economy, but he must walk away from this deal with Jacques Parizeau and the separatists which can do nothing but weaken this country, which is Mr. Parizeau's very objective.